NearTouch
by Aemkea
Summary: A moment after Damon sits down next to Elena in the basement. Spoilers for up to 1x19, and possibly 20. Third, unexpected chapter now up. More will presumably follow. At unspecified times. Will reside within plausible canon boundaries.
1. Chapter 1

The girl sat there, silent, staring through the bars at her unconscious boyfriend.

Damon looked at her again, gave short sigh, then rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Ow."

Elena glanced at him.

"Well, I'm getting a neck cramp, so since you _insist_ on sitting here on the cold, stone basement floor, I'm going to at least get something more comfortable to sit on," he pondered, "and maybe something to eat. You hungry?"

"No. Thanks." Elena was looking at Stefan again.

"Well, good, because I don't think we have any people food at the moment." Damon quipped, lightly.

That got a half-hearted eye roll.

"Well then. Away I go."

He got to his feet and started making his way up the stairs.

"Damon."

At the sound of Elena's voice, he stopped.

"Thank you."

He turned; an exasperated look on his face.

"What for?" He asked, impatiently.

Seeing his face, Elena almost changed her mind.

"Nothing. Never mind." She shook her head.

Suddenly, he was in front of her, squatting so that they were at eye level.

"What for, Elena?" He asked, more softly.

She looked at him.

"Helping me out. With the contest. And the dancing. I couldn't have done it without you." She gave him a little smile. "I'm surprised you knew the dance."

He gave her his smirk in return, "Well, a long, long time ago, I was taught never to let a beautiful lady be publicly embarrassed. Unless, you know, she deserved it. Which you," He poked her forehead with his finger, "didn't."

"And besides, I was there when this dance was _created._ I was the _best _they had." He shrugged, "Time does not diminish awesomeness."

"Pfft." Elena laughed weakly into her hand while Damon grinned at her.

Suddenly, tears fell from her eyes.

As she buried her face in her hands, Damon looked on, alarmed.

"Uh…"

She turned her face away from him.

"Sorry. Sorry," she apologized as she rubbed her eyes hastily, "I'm just tired and stressing over everything that's happened."

"Yeah, well. Your vampire boyfriend's a junkie, your witch best friend's not talking to you, and you just lost a beauty pageant. You deserve to let it all out once in a while." He patted her on the head.

When she didn't react Damon thought that was the end and got up, when Elena abruptly stood up as well and threw her arms around him.

Surprised, worried and a tiny bit pleased, he froze, before wrapping one arm around her waist. Then, pushing her gently away he asked faux-concerned, "Are you feverish? Actually," he paused, "Never mind I said that. I understand. This is just you _finally _realizing how wooonderful I am."

Elena gave him that Look; the one she learned to give him so well. The one with the head tilt slight to the side, with one eye narrower than the other, and that was half-glare, half-amusement.

"Oh please. Dream on."

She looked at Stefan again.

"But in all seriousness." She looked back at Damon, nothing but appreciation and earnestness and care in her eyes, "_Thank you_."

And he knew that she was talking about the contest and the dance and Stefan and Georgia and the rose and keeping her safe. And all the little signs that there was still humanity left in him.

Signs that she believed in. That he wasn't a doomed monster, roaming the world, completely alone. No joy or peace or love or friendship. He looked at this girl, whose face looked so much like Katherine, and seeing her faith and empathy in her eyes, knew. Absolutely _knew _that she was nothing like Katherine, nothing like he'd ever seen before, and that he'd make very, very sure Stefan got his act together before he, they both, lost this girl. This girl who knew him in a way he thought he'd lost a long, long time ago.

He had no words.

Instead, Damon took her chin into one of his hands and softly kissed her forehead. Then turned away.

"I'll be right back with some stuff."

He was half way up the stairs when he heard Elena's stomach growl.

"And I'll grab some people food for you!" He called down to her.

Elena smiled.

She turned and looked at Stefan, who still hadn't woken from the vervain dart.

She sat back down slowly.

And touched her hand to her forehead.

* * *

**A/N:** Got into this show about a week and a half ago. Binged on it till I got caught up.

Like whoa.

Seriously, words can't describe my feelings for this show. It's practically_ painful_ having to wait for the episode next week.

Guys, I haven't written fanfic in over two years. Then suddenly, at about 11:52 PM, when I'm about to turn off my computer and go to sleep, this idea just hits me. _Smashes _into my chest_._ Seriously. Whoa.

That, and while I'm a fan of Damon/Elena, I realize that Stefan and Elena are endgame and I'm okay with that. Stefan's cool too. And, for some reason, I've recently become a sucker for unrequited love stories. In this case Damon to Elena.

ALSO (okay, okay, I'll stop after this), if and when Katherine shows up in the present day show, I'm seriously hoping Damon chooses Elena over her in an epic, mind-blowing way. This is my wish.

One more thing. Last one, I swear. Tell me any grammar or spelling mistakes. And please leave a review!

And let me know if I got Damon and Elena in character! I'm not snarky enough for Damon, I fear.

That's all! *meep*


	2. Chapter 2

The day after Elena knocked Stefan out, she explained to Jenna that Stefan was pretty sick, so she was going to stay with him to help him get better. After an awkward, non-effective warning that Elena should make sure not to get into any "hijinks" while she was gone, Jenna smiled at her and told her to have fun and be careful.

"Oh, and say hi to Damon for me. It's not every day that a knight in shining armor comes to rescue a girl in distress."

Elena looked at her, incredulous. "_Please_ don't tell me you actually just said that."

"I meant with the dance! Stefan was sick so Damon stepped up to--- OH, never mind! Just go." Jenna tried to clarify, laughing, "and be sure to avoid coming here from 4-7:30 pm. Uncle Jon wants to start spending quality Gilbert men time with Jeremy." She cringed, "I'll have to resort cleaning the bathrooms to avoid him."

Elena made a face, "Thanks for the heads up. I definitely will."

* * *

Damon had opened the door, half-clad as always in an open shirt.

"I knew you'd be back for more." He purred at her. "Just couldn't resist me, could you?"

Elena rolled her eyes and nudged her way past him, not-so-accidentally elbowing him in the side as she walked through the door.

"At least you learned how to knock." He gripped his side dramatically with a wounded look on his face. "Awwww, what was that for?"

"How's Stefan?" She asked, ignoring his theatrics.

His face straightened, "Don't know. He hasn't woken up yet." He strolled into the kitchen.

Elena's face furrowed as she followed him, "Do vampires usually stay unconscious for this long? Is he okay?"

"Re-lax. He'll be fine." Damon opened the cooler and grabbed a blood bag for himself.

Elena turned and went down the basement stairs. "I'm going to go check on him."

Damon called after her, "Don't hurry back!", and one side of his mouth pulled up, when his super-sensed ears heard her snort in amusement.

He regarded the bag of blood in his hands, flipping it from one to the other, before spinning on one heel to search for a straw.

* * *

Elena regarded Stefan for a few moments, leaning her face against the door of his cell. Her eyes looked tiredly and sadly on her boyfriend's sleeping form.

"I hope you get better soon," she whispered, "I miss you."

With that, she turned and went back up the stairs.

* * *

After locating a straw, Damon plunked down into a chair with a self-satisfied "Hm." He was drinking from it when Elena came back up.

"And how is brother dearest?"

"Same."

"I told you. Don't worry, that's a good thing." Damon sucked obnoxiously and provocatively on his straw.

Elena threw him a disdained look, and was going to give him a withering reply, when she stood up a little straighter and her face creased in confusion.

"I've just realized something. How long have you been drinking that?"

Damon looked at his bag, "About three minutes?" He looked at her, "aaaand why does this matter?"

"Not the bag! Blood in bags. Bagged blood. The stuff from the blood bank." Elena stared at him, eyes widening, "You've been doing it for weeks! That's how Stefan got some in the first place."

Suppressing a scathing comment about her repetitions, Damon focused instead on the second part of her words, "Why does that matter, Elena?" He cocked an eyebrow.

Not one to back down to him, Elena mirrored him. "Well." She said, "for starters, it means that you've stopped feeding off of people. And," she stopped, calculating backwards in her mind, "All of the recent attacks have been the other vampires. When…"

Damon cut her short, "Don't make a big deal about it. It's nothing. I'm lying low."

"Provoking Alaric Saltzman in front of the whole female population and collaborating with the Founder's Council is lying low?"

He put on an 'I'm-not-impressed-with-your-deductions' face, "Duh, Elena. Wolf in sheep's clothing. I provide vervain; which, by the way, I can't feed from those who've ingested it, meaning that cuts intake by however many people; and get away without suspicion. Which, _by the way_, Stefan is no longer helping with."

She flinched, but remained unconvinced.

"I think you're using that excuse to cover up the fact that you haven't killed, even fed from, any human in a while." Her face brightened, "You've even been helping Stefan and I."

Angry, Damon flashed to his feet and her side. Leaning into her space, he growled, "Don't even _think_ about it. There is no way that the two of you are 'changing' me. I can do whatever the hell I want. If I want to get somebody to feed off of, I will. I just find this _easier_ at the moment. No redeeming qualities, remember? I'm doing it for _my _benefit. So, stop analyzing me, and start getting Stefan under control, so that I can live my life without having to constantly stop him from crassly slaughtering innocent people off of the street."

Shaken up, but not standing down, Elena glared back at him, "_Do you hear yourself?_ 'Slaughtering innocent people'? The Damon before would have partied about it, and joined him. You _have_ changed. You're just afraid to admit it!"

Eyes blazing, Damon clenched his hands together, before turning from her and dragging his hand down his face.

"Whatever," he said curtly, a moment later, "Don't start getting your hopes up. I am _exactly_ the same as I used to be. I'm doing all of this for me. So, think whatever you want, but don't expect me to follow along." He faced her again, taking in her righteous fury. "I'm going upstairs. You're welcome not to follow."

She scowled at his retreating back, and then turned toward the basement door.

* * *

Upstairs, Damon slammed his door closed, and collapsed with his back against it.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, so before you review. I didn't expect to continue this story. Then, some reviewers expressed interest, and I came up with some ideas. They're pinging through my head at the moment, so I don't have any firm set ideas, but I'm gonna see where this takes me.

I'm going to be updating about once a week from now on. One of my goals is to keep this story canonically plausible; that means I've always got to see the next episode, so that I don't go AU.

This chapter was not supposed to end up in a fight, but there you go. I've got maybe one other chapter before "Blood Brothers" is set, because in one of the web clips Elena mentions she been "here most nights" (meaning several since 'Miss Mystic Falls'), avoiding her uncle, so I've got a few days to work into this story.

Like last time, grammar and spelling critiques are fabulous! Reviews even more so!

(Also, anyone want to beta?)


	3. Chapter 3

The third day of Stefan's imprisonment, Elena, refusing to ring the door bell and put herself at the mercy of Damon straight off of the bat, after their fight the previous day, opened the front door and walked right in; steeling herself for any sardonic or biting remarks. A moment later, realizing that the first floor was empty, Elena set down her bag and proceeded to the kitchen. She had brought some supplies to put into the fridge, seeing as she did not know how long this arrangement was going to last.

Opening the refrigerator door, Elena was shocked to see two whole shelves filled with edibles like milk, bread, cheese and chicken. Glancing around, she reached her hand into the door, and pulled out an orange. Smiling happily at this lovely surprise, Elena glanced toward the cellar door, and concern for Stefan once again swamped her thoughts.

The orange lay forgotten on the kitchen counter as Elena headed down to Stefan's cell.

He was awake.

"Stefan!" Elena's voice was filled with joy and relief. "Stefan, how are you? I've missed you. I was wondering when you'd…" Her voice trailed off. "Stefan?"

He didn't respond. His eyes were glassy, she noticed. He still wasn't healed.

Elena's sadness and disappointment at her failure were palpable.

"He'll be like this for a few more days." A voice interspersed her thoughts curtly.

She stiffened, but looked. Damon was leaning against the wall. "The human blood takes longer to pass through us than vampire blood does through humans. He should be perkily, or should I broodingly, back to normal in a few days. One or two."

Elena nodded as shortly as he'd spoken. "Good." She said coolly, "Then _you'_ll be relieved to have to council off of your back, I'm sure." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Because that is the _most_ important thing in this whole ordeal."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't you start your judgey little comments. God, I've been the one taking care of him, haven't I?" He pushed himself off of the wall in a smooth movement, and came toward her. "He'll be back to his St. Stefan self in less time than you can say bippity boppity boo."

"You made your reasons very clear, Damon." Elena raised her head to look at him, when he stood next to her. "And I've decided to accept that. Whatever you decide to do is your choice. But I'm not going to have anything to do with them. Or you."

Damon smirked, "Oh, I doubt_ that_." It was the exact same line he's said to her before, but this time it had less bite and more annoyingly confident contentment in it. "You and I are in this together, _Lady_ Elena, whether you like it or not."

Deciding not to deign him with a reply to his total ridiculousness, Elena pushed past him and, with a last look at Stefan's motionless form, went back upstairs.

She plopped down on a sofa to start homework.

* * *

Damon did not show up again till about an hour later. Upon entering the room, he noticed the forgotten little orange on the counter. Something flashed in his eyes before he went over to pick it up, and roll it in his hands a few times. Glancing at the girl, immersed in her studies for once, he looked at the orange, then at the newly-stocked refrigerator, then back at Elena.

He took a step, in which direction, even he wasn't sure about, but Elena's voice stopped him.

"Look, Damon…"

He looked.

Her face was sad.

"I am sorry for snapping at you. I didn't mean—well, no, I did mean it, but I'm sorry for doing it anyway. I know that you've been doing everything you can to protect Stefan, and I—No, wait let me finish" She stopped his attempts to interrupt. His mouth was already forming a denial. "I'm sorry for fighting with you yesterday. And I, I want to thank you. Again. For the second time. Even if you don't accept it. Or deny it. I'm still giving_ you_ my apology."

She looked at him, across the room.

"That's all. You can go now, if you want."

Somewhere, in the back of Damon's mind, there was a little thought that went something like this _'you have got to stop losing your ability to speak_', but it was muted out and squished by the relief that he felt. Where the hell, this relief came from, or for what reason, he had absolutely no idea. But it was there.

Gathering his composure, he quirked an eyebrow. "Awww, Elena, I didn't know you cared." Failing at sounding remotely sarcastic, he gave a short, soft laugh. "For what it's worth," and at this his face straightened, and suddenly he was standing next to her, and looking into her eyes, "I'm sorry too."

Elena looked at his face, and then at his hand, where a perfectly peeled orange lay offered.

* * *

A/N: So, I suck. I suck at life and writing fanfics and updating. I'm so, sooooo sorry! (Everyone's apologizing today!)

Too short?

I'm going through TVD withdrawal, but my peeps at the forum are helping me. I'm Lisie there, by the way.

If Damon seems too soft and nice in this chapter, I've got an explanation for that: I'm setting a base for the D/E relationship in Blood Brothers. The "you're trusting of him/you are too/won't be long" and the Feet in lap. From the dance in MMF to feet in lap = seems sliiightly disjointed for me (not in a major or unenjoyable way though, I'm all for it!), cuz they go from eye-sexing to total comfortableness. So, there was a fight to cool things off, and now they're friends again. In a nice way.


End file.
